“I felt that blanket!” exclaimed Andrew as he discussed his experience in hypnotherapy. Andrew had been struggling for most of his life with a mild form of autism and anxiety. His anxiety left him in a state of hopelessness and confusion. He had seen several different doctors that had placed him on medications that seemed to intensify his anxiety and he desperately wanted find a way to get rid of them.
Andrew decided to come to therapy with me because he was desperate to find a way to get in control of his anxiety. His anxiety was preventing him from getting a job, causing havoc in his relationships, and creating a life where he barely wanted to get out of the house. In traditional talk therapy, it was difficult for him to put words together or even describe how he was feeling. He lived his life sensing and experiencing sensations but never found the words to say exactly how he was feeling.
Because of this impairment, that further created tension and frustration for him. In his hypnotherapy session, I guided him through imagery and breathing that resulted in him experiencing a state of relaxation. Relaxation that he had longed for, yet never had the chance to experience because of his severe anxiety.
The goal was for Andrew to find comfort in his anxiety and a place of peace so he was not nervous all the time. This is where the blanket came into play. He imagined a nice warm blanket surrounding him. Protecting and comforting him. He imagined this blanket as being the tool that was there for him anytime he needed it. All he had to do when he felt the sensations arise was to close his eyes, take a nice few breaths, and imagine the warm blanket surrounding him. As he imagines that blanket surrounding him and giving him comfort, with each additional breath he can access a state of calm where anxiety is not present.
After his first session, he was able to go home and test out the blanket experience for himself. We call this term self-hypnosis. Andrew practiced using the warm blanket in his mind first thing when he woke up, during the day when he felt anxiousness bubbling up within him, and every night before he went to bed for a week.
When he returned to therapy the following week, he reported that he had noticed his anxiety seemed to almost disappear. He was thrilled. Finally, he had a tool that he could use that made sense to him. Because he experienced his world through sensations and images, hypnotherapy worked wonderfully for him.
It was a powerful experience for him and he discovered that he could have control of his inner experiences. Andrew felt like a completely new person. He experienced a level of autonomy and freedom from his anxiety. He practiced this technique for a few weeks and started to realize that he didn’t have to practice self-hypnosis multiple times throughout the day. He discovered he was feeling better.
Although hypnotherapy does not work for all patients, it can still provide you with the tools that you need to apply in your daily life that will offer a sense of relaxation and comfort. Speaking with a qualified hypnotherapist is important, so I encourage you to speak with someone that has been certified in a program offered by the International Certification Board of Clinical Hypnotherapy (ICBCH) or the Ericksonian Institute. Why? Because there training was completed over a course of time, instead of a y-by-night weekend course. There are other reputable clinical hypnotherapy certification groups, but I highly recommend these two.
Hypnotherapy is safe and effective. If you want rapid change in your life, hypnotherapy may be the key to unlocking the potential within you too. Individual results may vary with hypnotherapy. There are no guarantees that it will work for you, but I encourage you to have an open mind, and the expectation that it will work and you deserve it.
The client’s name revealed in this true story was changed to protect the identity of the client.
